Minister's response about new artificial reefs in the bay

[jim1980]

A question on notice was asked on the 14th Feb and the minister has finally made the following reply;

Question on Notice No. 110
Asked on Thursday, 14 February 2008
QUESTION:
MR WEIGHTMAN asked the Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and
Innovation (Mr McNamara) — Will he outline the Government’s position in
relation to artificial reefs in Moreton Bay?

ANSWER:
The science associated with artificial reefs has progressed enormously in
recent years. Therefore, this Government believes that we need to move
forward with developing artificial reefs to help ensure the resilience and
longevity of the great marine environment we have in Moreton Bay Marine
Park.
As part of the Moreton Bay Marine Park Zoning Plan review, the Government
has allocated $1 million towards researching, planning and constructing trial
artificial reefs. This trial project will run in parallel with the Moreton Bay Marine
Park Zoning Plan review.
Research conducted by my department in the information-gathering phase of
the zoning plan review identified crowding as one of the main issues facing
marine park users.
The Government has listened to this concern and committed to the trial
artificial reef program to provide alternative areas for recreational use.
A project officer has been appointed to work with marine park stakeholders to
examine best practice artificial reef design, construction and location. The
overall aim of this project is to enhance recreational fishing opportunities.
My department also recently hosted a workshop with speakers from the
Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, the New South
Wales Department of Primary Industries and a recreational fishing social
scientist from James Cook University.
This workshop was an important first step to identify critical issues associated
with implementing a trial artificial reef program in south-east Queensland.
The placement of artificial reefs will require considerable research to
determine the most appropriate locations to ensure there are benefits to both
the community and the environment. Artificial reefs can help enhance fishing
and recreational experiences. It is also well documented that well-designed
artificial reefs can help restore and replenish areas if they are well-placed.
For example, a focus of the artificial reef program will be to investigate reestablishing
reefs in areas previously subjected to lime dredging for concrete
production.
Any artificial reefs deployed as part of this program will be purpose-built
structures. This program is not a green light for dumping rubbish into the
marine environment. It is worth remembering that anyone caught illegally
dumping items into the marine environment faces heavy fines and even
prosecution.
I would also like to recognise the importance of stakeholders in this project.
Discussions I have had with recreational fishing groups have welcomed the
Government’s initiative to progress an artificial reef program. We will be
involving numerous groups in this project as it progresses.

[LostNearBribie]

Is it just me, or does that actually sound promising?

[PinHead]

top idea..however the 1 mill is paltry and will be swallowed by so called scientists carrying out research...then we will get the story that no more funds avaialable and nothing will happen.
Does it sound like I do not trust politicians..I sure hope so.

[3rd degree]

LNB,

Yeh it does sound promising but as Pin Head pointed out the $1 mill won't go far at all.

I too don't trust politicians, and have a bad feeling that this Artificial Reef proposal will remain exactly that, a proposal.

I hope I am proved wrong.

Cheers

Jim

[ovakil]

I don't reckon they would need to do much research.Look at where Tangalooma & Curtin are located.Keep in line with them up & down the coast line.

[Mike Delisser]

I wouldn't mind seeing a few small arties placed a little closer to the mainland. Hopefully within the reach of smaller vessels.
Mike

[Greg P]

Fed Budget 08 gives us lots too. How much you reckon the greenies will get compared to this ;D


The Government will provide $2.0 million over three years to develop and implement a strategy to improve recreational fishing opportunities and to develop a consistent approach to the management of recreational fisheries across Australia.

[flick]

I Hate pollies..... Without being cinical (difficult) there is enough there to get us excited, but no real substance. 1 mill in conjunction with the review. Drop in the ocean.

Until there is a barge carting the stuff out there and dumping it, i will remain sceptical.

I just hate that qld politicians have provided very little other than the bare necessities, and they have even struggled there, since the GST was introduced.

I believe that with the financial climate the way it is in QLD, and the windfall the Govt has been getting for years, there should barely be an unhappy leisure group in the state..

Sorry, been carrying that for a while.

Jim

[revs57]

Thye'll put it in a green zone!!!!

[BigE]

we couldnt poll 1% AT THE ELECTION so be grateful we even got a mention. despite a hugh effort by some fishers to political advisers we look like monkeys lovein a football. (you know what i mean)

BigE

[PADDLES]

BigE, you have told it how it is. Pinhead is bang on the money too. $1m doesn't go too far these days when you employ consultants. Quick maths will tell you that this will buy about 4000 man hours (or say 100 man weeks) for top level sub consultant type professionals. divide this by how many blokes you've got on the job and it soon disappears. like BigE has mentioned, at least they're looking at it.

[Louis]

Two million dollars over three years.

I wonder how many dollars tax us fishermen will pay in that time?

Doesn't seem like we're getting much of our taxes back?




Louis

[Lucky_Phill]

My question has to be " Why trial Arti's ? ".

There is enough research and development done to just say OK, we know what they have to be made from and how big,,, the question is " where do we plonk it / them ? ".

TMARDC...... have been successful in building and maintaining an arti for years in Moreton bay.

TMARDC ? =

The
Midnight
Artificial
Reef
Development
Corporation

:-X :-X :-X
Let's not go there .

As stated, 1 mill will not go far............... Thanks Mr Mac, but you are a few mill short of the mark.

Phill

[Mike Delisser]

Phil I think most of the research will be on making sure they are placed in the spots where they will do the most good, as much bang for your buck as possible. McNamara said "The placement of artificial reefs will require considerable research to determine the most appropriate locations to ensure there are benefits to both the community and the environment."



Also found this in the "Bay Journal" 16 May 08


“Managed properly, an artificial reef could provide new opportunities for the Bay and the people who spend time on it.
“The artificial reef program planned for the bay will be ‘state of the art’.
The days of dumping tyres, white goods and car bodies in the water are gone. We will be using purpose built concrete structures designed to maximise colonisation by marine organisms.”


Also of interest from the same Bay Journal


The biggest artificial reef success story of the last few years was the exHMAS Brisbane sunk off Moolloolaba but lesser sites such as the new under wharf reef being planned for the $4.7m rebuilt Woody Point Jetty are going to have a big impact on fishing.


Cheers

[lampuki]

What a joke, research????

For God sake, are they using radio active materials to create the artis? Jesus christ!!! unless the guys creating the artis are complete morons, there is no issue.......put them in a spot where the trawlers wont be.....

If they want research if they work or not, i can tell hem first hand that they work.

It seems like they need to spend some more money on a better FAD system off moreton. Everytime us fishos get some joy from them they dissapear.

I am jet lagged and now also a bit pissy, but even the mere talk of something that may assist fishos gets me excited......one for us ..yeah....maybe

[Horse]

I can go along with the prelimenary research. We need areas that have the right characteristics. Many overseas artificial habitats have been a waste of time as they either broke up. did not support their own ecosystem or were quickly covered with substrate (mud or sand).
NSW fisheries is well advanced in the reef ball module style habitat construction and hopefully our guys learn from them.
As for the actual construction I reckon we can stretch the limited funding a long way further if we can provide some of the labor to construct the modules and use gov funds to cover equipment and materials. I would volunteer my time on a regular basis in order to improve our fishery.

Cheers

Neil

[SeaHunt]

How do you "trial" an artificial reef ?
Does that mean if the fish don't go there you hoist it up and put it somewhere else?
Stay away from sand and they would just about have to attract fish and therefore work.
As others have said most of the money will go in BS studies and red tape, probably only enough left to drop 3 bricks over the side.
I think I might trial my own, as many others have already done.

[Mike Delisser]

A bit of info here,
http://www.atse.org.au/uploads/Chong%20Pyun.pdf
Cheers
Mike

[reelchippy]

Thye'll put it in a green zone!!!!


Thats spot on get all the fish move in to the green zone that 30% thats coming:'(:'(

[BrewGuru]

The
Midnight
Artificial
Reef
Development
Corporation
How does one become a member?

[Ausfish]

I doubt you will see an Arti in the bay within 2 years from these guys. Probably be just "Jobs for the 6 pack" for a year or two doing research. Then, if they decide to put one in, it will probably be in a non fishing zone.

[cervelo]

At a guess the workshop that they have already had would have burnt 20k to 30k, the Project Manager and support staff salaries are coming out ofthe pot.

The best we will be looking at is a small arti which is closed for 2 to 4 years while the "scientists" study the reef.

My fear is that once they establish that it is a good ecosystem and has a wide diversity of marine life the push will come from the greenies to close the area to rec fishing.

Governments are notorious for spending money inefficiently.

1M could establish a number of good arti reefs if they spentit wisely which to build on Neil's suggestion harness an army of willing volunteers to assist.

I wonder if any of our local representatives were invited to the "workshop".

Cheers
Glenn